Semiconductor test data analysis system

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor test data analysis system ( 1 ) automatically recording, during an analysis operation, operation information of the analysis operation, including analysis conditions or an analysis procedure for input test data, or analysis information obtained by the analysis operation. The analysis system includes a processing means ( 101 ), an analysis target data storage means ( 109 ), which stores the test data as analysis target data, a historical data storage means ( 107 ), which stores as historical data either operation information of the analysis operation or analysis information obtained by the analysis operation, and a display data storage means ( 112 ), which stores analysis information obtained by the analysis operation, which stores analysis display data generated by the processing means for the purpose of displaying the analysis information obtained by the analysis operation. In this system, when a new analysis operation is specified, the processing means ( 101 ) processes the input test data in accordance with the analysis operation, and processes at least one of the analysis target data, historical data, and display data by the new analysis operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to analysis of semiconductor test data,and more particularly to a semiconductor test data analysis system,which, by visually rendering analysis operations such as analysisconditions and analysis procedures with respect to test data,facilitates the setting or changing of analysis operations by the user.

2. Related Art

In analysis operations performed using a dedicated semiconductoranalysis software, such as IDS Software Systems' dataPOWER®, analysisresults are obtained by loading and analyzing test data, in accordancewith commands in such a software. This type of analysis operation can beperformed any number of times, with varied analysis conditions orprocedures. Because the analysis conditions or procedures are usuallystored in a file, it is possible for a user to perform batch processingby specifying a data file. By executing batch processing, it is notnecessary for the user to repeatedly input the analysis conditions orprocedure for each set of test data to be analyzed.

In the same manner as the above-noted prior art, in general-purposespreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel®, it is possible toexecute loading of test data, analysis conditions, and analysisprocedures related to the loaded test data, in accordance with softwarecommands, thereby obtaining results of the analysis. Such software has afunction which automatically saves analysis conditions and proceduresexecuted by a user from a display apparatus. Using such software toexecute batch processing, it is possible for a user to obtain furtherinformation regarding test data analysis, based on automatically storedanalysis conditions and procedures.

Because of the difficulty of predicting test data at the initial stageof semiconductor manufacturing development, trial-and-error analysis isused to determine the optimal analysis conditions or procedures. Inanalysis operations such as this, it is often desirable to analyzeresults obtained from previous analysis operations or to execute afurther analysis operation based on results obtained by a previousanalysis operation.

In conventional analysis operations, however, no management is done ofthe history of analysis operations, such as the analysis conditions orprocedures of test data executed by software. For this reason, unlessthe user purposefully saves intermediately obtained analysis results ofan analysis operation, it is generally difficult to re-acquire resultsobtained midway during an analysis operation or to re-acquire dataobtained from a previous analysis operation. It is therefore generallynot easy to perform further trial-and-error analysis of data based onintermediate analysis results or based data obtained by a previousanalysis operation.

At a late stage in semiconductor manufacturing development, because theobtained test data can be predicted quite well, the analysis conditionsand procedures required to analyze this data may virtually bedetermined. The batch processing of analysis operations is automatedusing these analysis conditions and procedures. In conventional analysisoperations using the dedicated analysis software for semiconductor testdata, it is necessary for a user to input batch processing commandsconforming to a coding method of the particular software used in theanalysis, meaning that the user needed to understand the coding methodcalled for by the analysis software in generating the commands for batchprocessing. It is therefore not easy for the user to generate batchprocessing commands.

In trial-and-error analysis of semiconductor test data, analysisoperations are frequently performed with a partial change in theanalysis conditions or analysis procedure. For this reason, there is aneed in batch processing for the user to be able to easily make partialchanges to the analysis conditions or analysis procedure. In analysisoperations of the past using the dedicated analysis software such asdescribed above, however, it is necessary for the user to code batchprogramming in conformance with a coding method called for by theparticular software used in the batch processing, so that execution ofbatch processing therefore requires specialized knowledge regardingbatch processing coding. It is therefore not easy for a user to makepartial changes to analysis conditions or analysis procedures.

It is possible with general-purpose spreadsheet software to performautomatic recording of analysis conditions and procedures in analysisoperations. Even with this type of software, however, it is not possibleto obtain or to manage test data analysis results or data obtainedmidway in the execution of automatically recorded analysis conditions oranalysis procedures. In trial-and-error analysis, when analysis resultsor analysis data obtained midway in an analysis operation are to beaccessed, it is necessary for the user to intentionally save theanalysis results or data obtained during in an analysis operation. It isfurther necessary for the user to code the automatically recordedanalysis conditions or procedures in accordance with the methodspecifically called for by the software. It was therefore not easy for auser to make a partial change in the automatically recorded analysisconditions or procedures.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide asemiconductor test data analysis system in which it is possible toautomatically record and easily access analysis conditions or ananalysis procedure executed by an analysis operation, and further inwhich it is possible to easily change the settings of analysisconditions, the settings of analysis procedures, or the settings ofbatch processing and re-execute the analysis with the changed conditionsor settings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides semiconductor test data analysis systemwhich, during an analysis operation, automatically records operationinformation of the analysis operation, including analysis conditions oran analysis procedure for input test data, or analysis informationobtained by the analysis operation.

More specifically, one preferred aspect of the present invention is asemiconductor test data analysis system that automatically recordsoperation information of the analysis operation, including analysisconditions or procedures for input test data, or analysis informationobtained by the analysis operation, the system includes: processingmeans; analysis target data storage means for storing the test data asanalysis target data; a historical data storage means for storing ashistorical data at least one of operation information of the analysisoperation or analysis information obtained by the analysis operation;and display data storage means for storing analysis information obtainedby the analysis operation, which stores analysis display data generatedby the processing means,

wherein when a new analysis operation is specified, the processing meansprocesses the input test data in accordance with the newly specifiedanalysis operation, information of at least one of analysis target data,historical data, and display data being processed by the newly specifiedanalysis operation.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is a semiconductortest data analysis system in which the processing means comprisesreading test data from database or data file, and storing the test dataas analysis target data in the analysis target data storage means by thenewly specified analysis operation.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is the semiconductortest data analysis system in which the processing means comprisesprocessing the analysis target data by the newly specified analysisoperation.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is the semiconductortest data analysis system in which processing analysis target datafurther comprises filtering or sorting processing.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is the semiconductortest data analysis system in which operation information of the newlyspecified analysis operation or analysis target data related to theanalysis information is further stored as new analysis target data inthe analysis target data storage means.

Yet another preferred aspect of the present invention is thesemiconductor test data analysis system wherein the operationinformation of the newly specified analysis operation or historical datarelated to the analysis information is stored as new historical data inthe historical data storage means.

Still another preferred aspect of the present invention is thesemiconductor test data analysis system wherein operation information ofthe newly specified analysis operation or display data related to theanalysis information is stored as new display data in the display datastorage means.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is the semiconductortest data analysis system which copies, synthesizes, or integratesoperation information or analysis information concerning at least one ofa database, a data file, the analysis target data, the historical data,and the display data, so as to generate new operation information oranalysis information.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is the semiconductortest data analysis system further including a display apparatus.

Yet another preferred aspect of the present invention further includesan input apparatus.

The present invention also provides a semiconductor test data analysissystem in which the display apparatus displays at least one of a datawindow related to analysis target data stored in the analysis targetdata storage means, a history window related to historical data storedin the historical data storage means, a display window related todisplay data stored in the display data storage means, and a pluralityof icons, which display or specify either operation information of theanalysis operation or analysis information.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is one in which theplurality of icons includes any one of:

means for displaying or making a selection related to operationinformation of the analysis operation,

means for displaying or making a selection related to analysisinformation of the analysis operation,

means for generating an indicator representing a relationship betweenthe means for displaying or making a selection related to operationinformation of the analysis operation and means for displaying or makinga selection related to analysis information of the analysis operation,and□means for displaying or making a selection for visually renderinganalysis information of the analysis operation.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is one wherein whenspecification is made of an icon among the plurality of icons,subsequent analysis target data in the analysis operation associatedwith that icon is further specified.

Yet another preferred aspect of the present invention is one whereinwhen specification is made on an icon among the plurality of icons, theanalysis operation associated with that icon is automaticallyre-executed.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is one wherein atleast one icon among the plurality of icons starts batch processingassociated with that icon.

Another preferred aspect of the present invention is one furtherincluding means whereby, when a plurality of icons associated with theanalysis operation are specified, the data specified by each of therespective icons is copied, synthesized, or integrated.

Yet another preferred aspect of the present invention is one furtherhaving means whereby when the plurality of icons related to visualrendering of data are related to one another, analysis informationobtained by an analysis operation specified by one icon and analysisinformation obtained by an analysis operation specified by another iconare visually rendered and displayed in one and the same window.

The present invention also provides a method for analyzing semiconductortest data which automatically records, during an analysis operation,operation information of the analysis operation, including input testdata analysis conditions or analysis procedures, or analysis informationobtained by the analysis operation.

More specifically, this method is implemented in a semiconductor testdata analysis system which includes processing means, analysis targetdata storage means, historical data storage means, and display datastorage means, and includes steps of: processing test data with theprocessing means, storing input test data in the analysis target datastorage means as analysis data,

storing as historical data into the historical data storage means eitheroperation information of the input analysis operation or analysisinformation obtained by the analysis operation,

storing into the display data storage means analysis display datagenerated by the processing means for display of analysis informationobtained by the analysis operation,

When a newly specified analysis operation is specified, the processingmeans processing the input test data in accordance with the analysisoperation, and processing information of at least one of the analysistarget data, the historical data, or the display data by the newanalysis operation.

Another preferred aspect of the method for semiconductor test dataanalysis of the present invention, wherein processing the test data bythe processing means further comprises reading test data from databaseor data file, and storing the test data as analysis target data in theanalysis target data storage means in accordance with the newlyspecified analysis operation.

Another preferred aspect of the method for semiconductor test dataanalysis of the present invention, wherein processing using theprocessing means further comprises processing the analysis target databy a newly specified analysis operation.

Another preferred aspect of the method for semiconductor test dataanalysis of the present invention, wherein processing using theprocessing means further comprises filtering or sorting.

Yet another preferred aspect in which operation information of the newanalysis operation or analysis target data related to the analysisinformation is further stored as new analysis target data in theanalysis target data storage means.

Another preferred aspect is one wherein the operation information of thenew analysis operation or historical data related to the analysisinformation is stored as new historical data in the historical datastorage means.

Yet another preferred aspect is one wherein operation information of thenew analysis operation or display data related to the analysisinformation is stored as new display data in the display data storagemeans.

Another preferred aspect is one which copies, synthesizes, or integratesoperation information or analysis information concerning at least one ofa database, a data file, the analysis target data, the historical data,and the display data, so as to generate new operation information oranalysis information.

Another preferred aspect is one which further includes a step ofdisplaying on a display apparatus operation information or analysisinformation of the new analysis operation.

Yet another preferred aspect is one which further includes a step ofinputting operation information or analysis information of an analysisoperation from an input apparatus.

The present invention also provides a method for analyzing semiconductortest data which further includes a step of displaying on the displayapparatus at least one of a data window related to analysis target datastored in the analysis target data storage means, a history windowrelated to historical data stored in the historical data storage means,a display window related to display data stored in the display datastorage means, and a plurality of icons, which display or specify eitheroperation information of the analysis operation or analysis information.

In the above case a step of generating the plurality of icons includesany one of: generating means for displaying or making a selectionrelated to operation information of the analysis operation, generatingmeans for displaying or making a selection related to analysisinformation of the analysis operation, generating means for generatingan indicator representing a relationship between the means fordisplaying or making a selection related to operation information of theanalysis operation and means for displaying or making a selectionrelated to analysis information of the analysis operation, andgenerating means for displaying or making a selection for visuallyrendering analysis information of the analysis operation.

Another preferred aspect further includes a step whereby whenspecification is made of an icon of the plurality of icons, subsequentanalysis target data in the analysis operation associated with that iconis further specified.

Another preferred aspect further has a step whereby when specificationis made on an icon of the plurality of icons, the analysis operationassociated with that icon is automatically re-executed.

Another aspect has a further step whereby at least one of the pluralityof icons starts batch processing associated with the analysis operation.

Another aspect has a further step whereby when a plurality of iconsassociated with the analysis operation are specified, the data specifiedby each of the respective icons is copied, synthesized, or integrated.

Another preferred aspect having a further step whereby when theplurality of icons related to visual rendering of data are related toone another, analysis information obtained by an analysis operationspecified by one icon and analysis information obtained by an analysisoperation specified by another icon are visually rendered and displayedin one and the same window.

The present invention also provides a computer program for execution bya computer of any of the above-noted methods for analyzing semiconductortest data.

According to the above-noted system or method, because semiconductortest data analysis operations or analysis information is automaticallyrecorded and, if necessary, can be visually rendered and displayed,analysis of semiconductor test data by a user is simplified.

The term “analysis operation” as used herein will be understood toinclude processing of test data based on operation informationestablished by a user, and also encompass an operation of comparisonwith this operation information. The term “analysis target data” as usedherein will be understood to include test data that is to be subjectedto the execution of the above-noted analysis operation.

The term “operation information” as used herein will be understood toinclude information related to analysis conditions or analysisprocedures executed by the above-noted analysis operation. The term“analysis information” as used herein will be understood to includeanalysis results obtained by the above-noted analysis operation,analysis target data related to these analysis results, a link to theseanalysis results, or a link to analysis display data of these analysisresults.

The term “indicator” as used herein will be understood to include aline, a character, a graphic, color-coding, gradation, or a combinationof these elements. The phrase “means for generating an indicator” asused herein will be understood to include, for example, the displayingon the above-noted display apparatus of the above-noted indicator.

The term “icon” as used herein will be understood to include a displaymeans or input means for causing a computer to execute a command relatedto acquisition, processing, visual rendering, or display of analysistarget data, operation information, or analysis information. An icon isnormally composed of one or more characters, graphics, or symbols, or acombination thereof. The term icon used herein is not restricted to anicon as would be displayed on the display apparatus of a computer, butwill be understood as further including a tool bar or button within awindow on a display apparatus. The expression “specify an icon” as usedherein will be understood to mean the selection of an icon, whichincludes, as noted above, a tool bar or a button, by means of an inputoperation from a keyboard, an input operation from a touch-panel, orselection using a mouse or other pointing-type input device.

The term “computer” used herein will be understood to include a datainput means such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch-panel, a storage means,such as a semiconductor memory (hereinafter simply referred to asmemory) or a hard disk drive or other types of drives for storing inputdata, a processing means for processing or analyzing input data orstored data, and a display means for displaying on a display apparatusinput data or processed data. In this case, commands relating toanalysis target data, operation information, or analysis informationneed not be input at the computer, but can be communicated to thecomputer via a communication means such as a LAN or the Internet. Suchanalysis target data, operation information, or analysis information canbe stored in a storage means, such as the memory or hard disk drive ofthe computer.

When the analysis target data, operation information, or analysisinformation is stored in the storage means of the computer, a processingmeans such as a CPU (center processing unit) processes the analysistarget data, operation information, or analysis information inaccordance with instructions from a system control program within thecomputer. The results of this processing are displayed on a displayapparatus. Therefore, the “computer” of the present invention includes,for example, a data acquisition means for storage, saving, reading, andwriting of analysis target data, operation information, or analysisinformation data, a data processing means for performing data filtering,sorting, joining, or product or sum calculations, and a data visualrendering means for generating and displaying a graphic or table forextracting characteristics of analysis target data or analysisinformation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a system configuration;

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a history window;

FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a database search condition setting window;

FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a data file specification window;

FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a data filtering conditions specificationwindow;

FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a sorting conditions specification window;

FIG. 7 is a drawing showing a scatter plot;

FIG. 8 is a drawing showing a cumulative distribution plot;

FIG. 9 is a drawing showing a histogram;

FIG. 10 is a drawing showing a wafer map;

FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a box and whiskers plot;

FIG. 12 is a drawing showing an SPC (Statistical Process Control) plot;

FIG. 13 is a drawing showing a scatter plot setting window;

FIG. 14 is a drawing showing a cumulative distribution plot settingwindow;

FIG. 15 is a drawing showing histogram setting window;

FIG. 16 is a drawing showing a wafer map setting window;

FIG. 17 is a drawing showing a box and whiskers plot setting window;

FIG. 18 is a drawing showing an SPC plot setting window;

FIG. 19 is a drawing showing the use of a mouse to specify an icon to becopied;

FIG. 20 is a drawing showing copied icons and a copied line;

FIG. 21 is a drawing showing joining of an icon representing analysistarget data and an icon representing a copied history;

FIG. 22 is a drawing showing an operation of synthesizing indicators ofanalysis display data in a history window;

FIG. 23 is a drawing showing a main window of a semiconductor test dataanalysis system according to the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a drawing showing the screen after analysis operation indetail from the main window of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a drawing showing a screen for selecting the graphic formatfor displaying analysis data in a semiconductor test data analysissystem according to the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a drawing showing a screen selected for copying an icon fromData_set2, Data_set3 and Frame1, which represent the analysis conditionsand analysis procedure;

FIG. 27 is a drawing showing a screen when selected icons fromData_set2, Data_set3 and Frame1 are pasted into the window;

FIG. 28 is a drawing showing the screen when the Data_set2 icon and theData_set1 icon shown in FIG. 27 are connected;

FIG. 29 is a drawing showing a screen for selecting an operationinformation to be loaded;

FIG. 30 is a drawing showing a screen for saving operation information;

FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing an analysis target data acquisitionoperation;

FIG. 32 is a flowchart showing a filtering operation;

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing a sorting operation;

FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing a graphing operation;

FIG. 35 is a flowchart showing a copy-and-paste operation;

FIG. 36 is a flowchart showing an operation of loading operationinformation;

FIG. 37 is a flowchart showing an operation of saving operationinformation;

FIG. 38 is a flowchart showing a parameter changing operation; and

FIG. 39 is a flowchart showing an operation of overlapping graphs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, withreference made to relevant accompanying drawings.

An embodiment of a semiconductor test data analysis system according tothe present invention is described below with reference to FIG. 1. Thisanalysis system includes a computer 101, a display apparatus 102, and aninput apparatus 103, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch-panel.Although for the purpose of this description the computer 101, thedisplay apparatus 102, and the input apparatus 103 are representing inthe drawing as being separate, it will be understood that the computer101, the display apparatus 102, and the input apparatus 103 can beintegrated as one, such as is the case in a laptop computer or the like.

The display apparatus 102 is described here with reference to FIG. 1.Analysis target data stored in an analysis target data storage means 109are displayed in a data window 104 of the display apparatus 102. Displaydata obtained by processing analysis target data is displayed in adisplay window 105 of the display apparatus 102. Additionally, commandsstored in a historical data storage means 107 and executed in ananalysis operation, and historical data indicating the sequence of thecommands are displayed in a history window 108 of the display apparatus102.

The analysis operation in a semiconductor test data analysis systemaccording to the present invention is described in detail below.

FIG. 2 shows a history window for displaying an analysis operationhistory in a semiconductor test data analysis system according to thepresent invention. Icons 201 and 203 related to acquisition of analysistarget data, icons 202 and 206 related to processing such as filteringand sorting, an icon 205 related to visual rendering of data, andindicators 204 and 207, which indicate analysis operation procedures,are displayed in the history window 108. Another example of a historywindow is shown in FIG. 28.

The system control program 106 of the computer 101 acquires analysistarget data by an analysis operation. The acquisition of this analysistarget data is done from at least one of the database 110, the data file111, and the analysis target data storage means 109. The acquiredanalysis target data is stored in the analysis target data storage means109. Furthermore, the above-noted operation information of the analysisoperation is stored as the historical data in the historical datastorage means 107. In response to storing the historical data, an iconin relation to the analysis operation is displayed in the history window108. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show, respectively, windows used when a usersearches the database 110 and when a user specifies the data file 111.In order to acquire data by searching the database, queries and filtersmay be used for Extraction Parameters, or the name of a prescribed fileis input at the window shown in FIG. 3. If data is to be acquired fromthe data file, the name of a prescribed file is input at the windowshown in FIG. 4. As a result, the analysis data is acquired from thedatabase 110 or the data file 111 and the icon 201 is displayed in thehistory window 108.

The processing of data in the analysis system of the present inventionincludes at least one of data filtering and data sorting. The windowsused by the user to specify data processing conditions for theseanalysis operations are shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, respectively. In thewindow of FIG. 5, the user selects one or more data variables, andinputs item names and ranges thereof to execute filtering of analysistarget data. In the window of FIG. 6, the user selects one or more datavariables, and executes sorting of the prescribed analysis target data,in either ascending order or descending order. The operation informationof the above-noted analysis operations can be stored in the historicaldata storage means 107 as historical data. The icon 202 associated withdata processing is then added to the history window 108. The icon 202 isrelated to data processing that filters only data of the analysis targetdata specified by the icon 203 that satisfies prescribed conditionsinput from FIG. 5. For this reason, the icon 202 is displayed as an iconincluding characters indicating filtering. An indicator 204 is generatedbetween the icon 202 and the icon 203, which is associated with analysistarget data of the analysis operation. The indicator 204 is displayed asa straight line with an arrow related to the analysis operationprocedure. By doing this, the user can tell at a glance what analysisoperation was performed on which analysis target data. The analysistarget data acquired by the processing of data is stored in the analysistarget data storage means 109.

Visual rendering of data is described below, with reference to the icon206. The icon 206, similar to the icon 202, is associated with filteringof only data of the analysis target data specified by a given an iconthat satisfies prescribed conditions input from FIG. 5. When an analysisoperation related to visual rendering of data is executed with respectto this icon 206, the computer 101 processes the analysis target dataspecified with the icon 206 by the system control program 106,generating display data for the visual rendering of data. The displaydata is then stored in the display data storage means 112, and the icon205 is displayed in the display window 105. When this analysis operationrelated to visual rendering of data is specified, the computer 101records the analysis information of the analysis operation at that timeinto the historical data storage means 107 as historical data, and theicon 205 associated with visual rendering of data is then displayed inthe history window 108. Because the icon 205 is the analysis operationcorresponding to the generation of a scatter plot as shown in FIG. 7,the icon is displayed so as to include a graphic indicating a scatterplot. An indicator 207 is generated between the icon 205 and the icon206, which is associated with data processing to filter test data. Theindicator 207 is displayed as a straight line with an arrow related tothe analysis operation procedure. By doing this, the user can tell at aglance what analysis operation was performed on which analysis targetdata.

The visual rendering of data in the analysis system according to thepresent invention is not restricted to the scatter plot shown in FIG. 7,but also includes, for example, the cumulative distribution plot shownin FIG. 8, the histogram shown in FIG. 9, the wafer map shown in FIG.10, the box and whiskers plot shown in FIG. 11, and the SPC (StatisticalProcess Control) plot shown in FIG. 12 or a table. The analysis systemof the present invention further includes windows for the purpose ofspecifying conditions for analysis operations for these types of visualrenderings, details of which are shown in FIG. 13 through FIG. 18. FIG.13 is a setting window for the scatter plot shown in FIG. 7, from whichthe user can select the variables for the X and Y axes, display alogarithmic plot, select and display a plurality of analysis targetdata, and visually indicate display data. FIG. 14 is a setting windowfor the cumulative distribution plot shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 15 is asetting window for the histogram shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 16 is a settingwindow for the wafer map shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 17 is a setting windowfor the box and whiskers plot shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 18 is a settingwindow for the SPC plot shown in FIG. 12.

By specifying an arbitrary icon in the history window 108, the user canaccess at least one of any analysis target data or any display datastored in the analysis system of the present invention analysis targetdata, historical data, and display data obtained by data acquisition,data processing, and data visual rendering are stored, respectively, inthe storage means 109, 107, and 112. The icons associated with dataacquisition, data processing, and data visual rendering are eachdisplayed in the history window 108.

In this case, these icons correspond to display means or input means forspecifying some analysis operation. This is because the user can clickor double click the left button of a mouse or the other selectingoperations such like using a keyboard to select an icon from the historywindow 108, whereupon the computer 101, upon receiving the selection ofthat icon (for example, by a click or double click operation), by thesystem control program 106, displays the analysis target data associatedwith that icon in the data window 104 or the display data associatedwith that icon in the display window 105.

Additionally, the user can select an arbitrary icon in the historywindow 108, and re-execute with changed analysis conditions an analysisoperation that had already been stored in the analysis system of thepresent invention. If the user selects an icon in the history window 108with the right button of the mouse, it is possible to select settingwindows (corresponding to the windows shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5,FIG. 6, FIG. 13, FIG. 14, FIG. 15, FIG. 16, FIG. 17, and FIG. 18)priorly associated with the icon. From any arbitrary use of thesewindows, if operation information or analysis information related todata acquisition, data processing, or visual rendering of data ischanged, the computer 101, by the system control program 106,re-executes the analysis operation with the changed operationinformation or analysis information. The analysis target data updated bythe re-execution of this analysis operation is then stored into theanalysis target data storage means 109, the historical data at that timeis stored into the historical data storage means 107, and the displaydata at that time is stored into the display data storage means 112.

In a case related to either of acquisition of data or data processingaffected by a changed analysis operation, the computer 101, using thesystem control program 106, re-executes the analysis operation derivedfrom the analysis target data related to the changed analysis operationwith at least one of operation information or analysis informationobtained from historical data. The analysis operation re-executed inthis manner, as long as there exists an analysis operation derived fromthe changed analysis operation in the historical data, can bere-executed by the system control program 106 of the computer.

At the history window 108, the user can copy an icon derived from anyarbitrary icon, and link to arbitrary analysis target data specified bythis icon. By doing this, it is possible to apply an analysis operationalready recorded in the analysis system of the present invention to anarbitrary analysis target data. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, at thehistory window 108 the user can hold down the left button of the mouseand drag the mouse so as to surround a plurality of icons (1901), whichare specified as a set of icons. If the user requests copying, thesystem control program 106 of the computer 101 reads from the historicaldata storage means 107 the historical data related to each of thespecified icons, and creates new historical data. At the history window108 shown in FIG. 20, an icon associated with the newly copiedhistorical data and an indicator are displayed together as 2001. In thisdisplay, there is distinction made between an icon and indicator relatedto analysis target data that have not yet been executed and an icon andindicator that have already been executed. An icon and indicator thathave not yet been executed in this case are displayed translucently, sothat the user can know their status at a glance.

As shown in FIG. 21, when an icon associated with analysis target dataand an icon and indicator 2001 associated with a copied analysisoperation are connected as shown by the indicator 2101, the computer, bythe system control program 106, can apply the newly copied analysisoperation to the analysis target data at the origin of the linked data.It is thus possible to integrate the analysis operations associated witha plurality of icons. This type of integration can be executed easily bythe user by selecting an icon in the history window 108 on the displayapparatus 102, and performing the same type of mouse operation as with aconventional computer. Additionally, the user can save the operationinformation of this selected analysis operation in the batch file 113shown in FIG. 1. When this batch file 113 is selected, the computer 101,by the system control program 106, reads the selected batch file andgenerates historical data. When the historical data is generated in thismanner, similar to the above-noted of copying, it is possible to applythe selected batch file to any arbitrary analysis target data.

In a case in which there is compatibility between at least one of thecorresponding axes of both of two sets of display data, it is possibleto combine one set of the display data to the other set of display data.This can be executed by a mouse operation made by the user at thehistory window 108. FIG. 22 shows two icons, 2201 and 2202 which exhibitcompatibility in units between at least one of the corresponding axes(both being related to visual rendering of data, these being analysisoperations that generate scatter plots). In this case if the user clicksand drags from the icon 2201 associated with analysis target data thatis to be grouped up to the icon 2202 associated with another set toanalysis target data, it is possible to request synthesis (grouping) ofthese analysis operations. When this synthesis is requested an indicator2203 is generated from the icon 2201 to the icon 2202. The computer 101,by the system control program 106, then adds the analysis operationassociated with the icon 2201 to the analysis operation associated withthe icon 2202. When this is done, historical data of the analysisoperation associated with the icon 2202 and historical data of theanalysis operation associated with the icon 2201 are stored in thehistorical data storage means 107 of the computer 101. The display dataassociated with the icon 2202 is then changed, this display data beingdisplayed in the display window 105. This causes the synthesized displayof each of the display data associated with the icons 2201 and 2202 inthe display window 105, in accordance with the display format anddisplay items of the icons 2201 and 2202. It is possible, for example asshown in FIG. 7, to make different kinds of displays (for example,different colors or shapes) of icons associated with different analysistarget data. By doing this, it is possible to make an overlapped displayof display data associated with each of the analysis target data,thereby enabling the user to easily grasp the differences between eachof the analysis target data.

Finally, in specific operations in the analysis system of the presentinvention are described below, with reference to the various screenshots from the display apparatus 102 shown in FIG. 23 though FIG. 30,and the flowcharts of FIG. 31 through FIG. 39.

(Analysis Target Data Acquisition)

At the main window shown in FIG. 23, the Extract Data button is selectedto either search a database by means of the database search conditionsetting window shown in FIG. 3 or read a data file by means of the datafile specification window shown in FIG. 4, thereby displaying an iconassociated with the database or the data file, as shown by the referencenumeral 201 in FIG. 2.

(Filtering)

At the history window shown in FIG. 2, any one of the icons associatedwith the analysis target data is selected. Then, the Filter button inthe main window shown in FIG. 24 is selected, after which from thefilter window of FIG. 5 the instruction for the analysis operation isgiven and the Filter button is selected, thereby displaying the originalicon, an icon associated with filtering, and an indicator there between,as indicated by the reference numerals 202, 203, and 204 of FIG. 2.

(Sorting)

From the history window shown in FIG. 2, any one of the icons associatedwith the analysis target data is selected. Then, the Sort button shownin FIG. 24 is selected. From the sort window shown in FIG. 6, aninstruction is given for sorting, and the Sort button is selected,thereby displaying an arrow and an icon as shown like 2404 in FIG. 24and generating data.

(Graphing)

From the history window shown in FIG. 2, any one of the icons having thecorresponding analysis data is selected. Next, the Create Frame buttonshown in FIG. 24 is selected so as to generate a display window showinga graph of the selected icon. Settings of the various tab pages of thewindow shown in FIG. 25 are made, and the Plot button is selected,thereby displaying the visual rendering of data, like showing in FIG. 7through FIG. 12, an icon 2406 and an arrow. The contents of settings intab pages hidden behind the Distribution tab page in FIG. 25 is similarto the various setting windows shown in FIGS. 13, 15, 16, 17, and 18.

(Copy & Paste)

As shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 26, in the history window the mouse is usedto select a range of icons to be joined. Next, in FIG. 27, Copy isselected from the Edit menu, and Paste is selected to issue aninstruction for copying. By doing this, the copied icons and arrows aredisplayed in the history window. Suppose that in a case of which themost basic icon of the icons to be pasted is not connected to the iconindicated by the analysis target data as shown in FIG. 20. As indicatedby the arrow from Data_set1 to Data_set5 in FIG. 21 the mouse is draggedafter selecting the → button 2410 shown in FIG. 24 so as to specifyanother icon (source, sort, filter) as the analysis target data of themost basic icon of the pasted icons, thereby connecting the two iconswith an indicator 2101.

(Loading Operation Information)

The Load Method button shown in FIG. 24 is selected. Next, from the LoadMethod Window shown in FIG. 29 the load method to be used is selected.By doing this, the two icons 2001 and arrows shown in FIG. 20 aredisplayed.

(Saving Operation Information)

As shown in FIG. 19, from the history window when an icon (or pluralityof selected icons) is selected (1901), the display for the selectedregion changes. Next, Save Method is selected from the File menu in thetool bar in FIG. 24. Save Method window in FIG. 30 is displayed. Thefile name is then specified, and the Save button is selected in thewindow.

(Changing Parameters)

From the history window, an icon is clicked with the right mouse button,thereby causing display either of setting windows shown in FIG. 3through FIG. 6 or FIG. 13 through FIG. 18, from which the re-setting ofanalysis conditions and analysis procedures is performed. By doing this,for example, if the filter conditions of Data_set4 2402 in FIG. 24 ischanged, the analysis target data specified by Data_set4 is updated and,therefore, the process for the analysis target data (2404 and 2406) isre-executed. Accordingly, the re-set of analysis conditions and analysisprocedures are reflected to the results.

(Overlapping Display Data)

The Overplot button 2408 shown in FIG. 24 is selected and a mouse isdragged with holding the left mouse button from a source icon of join toa destination icon of join so as to establish a relationship between twooperation information. By doing this, display data of the source icon isoverlapped and displayed jointly onto the graph associated with the iconat the front end of the arrow, i.e., the destination icon.

As described in detail above, because the analysis system of the presentinvention automatically records previously executed analysis operations,a user can easily access these analysis operations for each analysisoperation. For this reason, particularly in the case of the early stagesof the semiconductor manufacturing development process, it is possibleto perform quick trial-and-error analysis to determine the optimumanalysis conditions and analysis operations. Even at a late stage in thesemiconductor manufacturing process, when the user performs batchprocessing based on already optimized analysis operations, it ispossible to perform the batch processing quickly and easily. Becauseanalysis information is visually rendered, the user can easilyunderstand operation information or analysis information, therebypreventing operational errors. Because a user can quickly analysisdiverse analysis target data, it is possible more quickly identifyfailure locations. For this reason, the present invention can improveproduction efficiency and reduce cost.

1-11. (canceled)
 12. A semiconductor test data analysis system whichautomatically records operation information of an analysis operation,including analysis conditions or an analysis procedure for input testdata, and analysis information obtained by the analysis operation, thissystem comprising: processing means; and a display apparatus comprising:means for displaying an analysis target data of an analysis operation asa first icon, means for displaying a first operation information of theanalysis operation as a second icon, and means for displaying a firstindicator representing a relationship between the first icon and thesecond icon as a first arrow, wherein when a new analysis operation isspecified, the processing means processes the input test data, theanalysis target data, historical data representing operation informationof the analysis operation or analysis information obtained by theanalysis operation, and analysis display data obtained by the analysisoperation, being processed by the newly specified analysis operation fordisplaying at least one processed information relating to the newlycreated analysis target data, historical data, and analysis display dataon the display apparatus. 13-28. (canceled)
 29. A method for displayingin a semiconductor test data analysis system which automatically recordsoperation information of an analysis operation, including analysisconditions or an analysis procedure for input test data, and analysisinformation obtained by the analysis operation, which includes aprocessing means and a display means, the method comprising the stepsof: displaying first analysis target data of a first analysis operationas a first icon; displaying first operation information of the firstanalysis operation as a second icon; and displaying a first indicatorrepresenting a relationship between the first icon and the second iconas a first arrow, wherein the first operation information is related toprocessing of the first analysis operation. 30-35. (canceled)
 36. Thesemiconductor test data analysis system according to claim 12, thedisplay apparatus further comprising: means for displaying a secondoperation information of the analysis operation as a third icon; andmeans for displaying a second indicator representing a relationshipbetween the second icon and the third icon as a second arrow.
 37. Themethod according to claim 29, further comprising the steps of:displaying a second operation information of the first analysisoperation as a third icon; and displaying a second indicatorrepresenting a relationship between the second icon and the third iconas a second arrow, wherein the second operation information is relatedto visual rendering of data of the first analysis operation.
 38. Themethod according to claim 37, wherein when an analysis condition for anyof the icons is changed, the first analysis operation is automaticallyre-executed.
 39. The method according to claim 37, further comprisingthe steps of: copying the second and the third icons and the secondarrow of the first analysis operation as a fourth icon and a fifth iconand a third arrow displayed translucently; displaying a second analysistarget data as a sixth icon; and displaying a third indicatorrepresenting a relationship between the sixth icon and the fourth iconas a fourth arrow so as to display a second analysis operationconsisting of the fourth, fifth and sixth icons and the third and fourtharrows.
 40. The method according to claim 37, further comprising thesteps of: displaying seventh, eighth and ninth icons, a fifth arrowconnected from the seventh icon to the eighth icon, and a sixth arrowconnected from the eighth icon to the ninth icon of a third analysisoperation; and displaying a sixth arrow connected from the third icon tothe ninth icon which exhibits compatibility on visual rendering in unitsbetween at least one of corresponding axes of the display apparatus.